Suburban Alderman's Body Pulled From Lake
WHITING, Ind. (CBS) – The body of a Blue Island alderman was pulled from Lake Michigan overnight, after he went missing while boating with friends in northwest Indiana.
Michael Janko, 50, and his friends jumped into the water for a swim near Whihala Beach in Whiting, Ind. Thursday afternoon, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Coast Guard Petty Officer Christopher Yoth said witnesses on a boat saw what happened and called for help.
"They said that he jumped into the water, and then resurfaced, and was not responsive," Yoth said. "Then somebody tried to grab a hold of him to try and pull him on board, and he went under the water and didn't resurface."
The Coast Guard, Lake County Sheriff's office, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and the Hammond Fire Department all assisted in a search for Janko.
Divers recovered his body around 10:20 p.m., about 50 yards from where he went missing. He was not wearing a life jacket.
Janko was a member of the Blue Island City Council representing the Fifth Ward on the northwest side of the southwestern suburb.
